November Theme Prompt: Aspirational Utopias
Write a sci-fi story set in a fictional utopian society. I admit I have lost track of what a majority of Americans envision as our ideal...
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Jim Dutton
Sep 213 min read
July Theme Prompt Winner
"Lifetime Subscription" by Guy Lingham is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for July/August.
530
Jim Dutton
Sep 155 min read
September Theme Prompt: The Bogeyman Cometh
Write a science fiction story in which the villain or antagonist is an artificial intelligence. This Halloween, there's a lot of scary...
1800
Jim Dutton
Jul 202 min read
May Theme Prompt Winner
"Cyborg Isle" by Maren N. Law is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for May/June.
650
Jim Dutton
Jul 153 min read
July Theme Prompt: This Mortal Coil
Write a science fiction story that explores the nature and consequences of (im)mortality. The current US president is 81 years old, and...
1790
Jim Dutton
Jun 92 min read
April Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice The Wittiest Man in France by Philip Apps is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for April/May. Congratulations...
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Jim Dutton
May 155 min read
May Theme Prompt: Gothic Sci-Fi
Theme: Write a science fiction story that uses gothic settings and tropes. Gothic science fiction is the oldest kind. Mary Shelley's...
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Jim Dutton
May 123 min read
March Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice Caring for Barbara by B. M. Gilb is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for March/April. This is a new author...
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Jim Dutton
Apr 134 min read
April Prompt: Meta-Sci-Fi
Theme: Write a science fiction story that refers to itself or breaks the fourth wall in some interesting way. Metafiction is a set of...
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Jim Dutton
Apr 72 min read
February Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice Adrift by Randall Andrews is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for February/March. Last month's theme prompt,...
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Jim Dutton
Mar 195 min read
March Prompt: Othering AI
Theme: Write a story about the complex relationships between humans and artificial intelligence as this new form of "life" assimilates...
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Jim Dutton
Mar 92 min read
January Theme Prompt Winner
Fallstreak by Dale E. Lehman Editors' Choice The January theme prompt, Weather Warnings, ended on February 15, with the final accepted...
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Jim Dutton
Feb 174 min read
February Prompt: On This Special Day
Theme: Write a story in which a special day plays an important role. A special day may be a holiday or a national observance of some sort...
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Jim Dutton
Feb 32 min read
Results for December Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The December theme prompt, Treasures, Brightly Wrapped, ended on January 15 with the final accepted entry published on...
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Jim Dutton
Jan 203 min read
January Prompt: Weather Warnings
Theme: Your challenge this month is to write a story in which the weather or climate is an important plot element. Our monthly theme...
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Jim Dutton
Jan 62 min read
Results for November Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The November theme prompt, Feasts with the Beasts, ended on December 15 with the final accepted entry published on...
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Jim Dutton
Dec 16, 20233 min read
December Prompt: Treasures, Brightly Wrapped
Theme: Your challenge this month is to write a story where the main character discovers something surprising about themselves. Something...
1900
Jim Dutton
Dec 2, 20232 min read
Results for October Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The October theme prompt, Machine in the Ghost, was an enormous success! We received a bunch of fascinating,...
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Jim Dutton
Nov 15, 20233 min read
November Prompt: Feasts with the Beasts
Theme: This month we’re looking ahead and behind at the same time. Did you ever hear how aliens gave the ancient Egyptians the blueprints...
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Jim Dutton
Oct 15, 20233 min read
October Prompt: Machine in the Ghost
Theme: We challenge you to write a piece of flash sci-fi in which mechanical or AI contrivances imitate, replace, or become someone who...
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